Costco Commercial Center Project
Conditional Use Permit Application No. P21-01959
Plan Amendment and Rezone Application No. P21-01960
Conditional Use Permit Application No. P21-03251
Planned Development Permit Application No. P21-03252
7120 North Riverside Drive Fresno, CA 93722
APN: 503-020-12
Exhibit K – City Council Hearing Presentation
CONSIDERATION OF THE COSTCO PROJECT:
PLAN AMENDMENT & REZONE APPLICATION NO. P21-01960
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION NO. P21-01959
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION NO. P21-03251
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PERMIT APPLICATION NO. P21-03252
AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
(STATE CLEARINGHOUSE NO. 2021100443)
PRESENTATION BY: STEVEN MARTINEZ - PLANNER
City Council
Aerial Map
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Site Plan
Proposed Construction of a Costco Commercial Center
with:
• ± 219,216 SF Costco Warehouse Retail Building with Market Delivery Operations [MDO]
• 16 Pump (32 Dispenser) Fuel Station
• ± 4,800 SF Automated Carwash
• 873 Parking Stalls
• 33 Trailer Parking Stalls
• 7 Drive Approaches
• Landscaping
Off-site improvements are proposed including, but not limited to:
• Curb, Gutters, Sidewalks
• Traffic Signals Traffic
• Calming Measures
• Golf Course Netting
• Water & Sewer Mains
• Construction of West Spruce Avenue
• Construction of 12’ Wide Pedestrian Easement
Conditional Use Permit No P21-03251:
• Requests to establish a Type 21 (Beer, Wine, & Distilled Spirits) alcohol license.
Project Overview
Project Elevations Rendering
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Zoning & Planned Land Use
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West Herndon Avenue Designation
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Environmental Impact Report
In determining that an EIR was the appropriate environmental document, the City determined that the following environmental resource topics would be analyzed in detail for the proposed project:
Various technical and supplemental studies were conducted as part of the EIR, including but not limited to:
Aesthetics Hazards and Hazardous Materials
Agricultural and Forestry Resource Hydrology and Water Quality Air Quality Land Use
Archaeological, Historical, and Tribal Cultural
Resources
Noise and Vibration
Biological Resources Public Services
Energy Transportation and Circulation
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change Utilities Air Quality Technical Report Noise Analysis
Phase I & Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Traffic Impact Analysis
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Environmental Impact Report
The EIR identified four Significant and Unavoidable Impacts:
Impact 3.11-1: Generation of a substantial temporary increase of construction noise levels in excess of applicable standards.
Impact 3.13-2: Conflict or Be Inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3, Subdivision (b) Regarding Vehicle Miles Traveled
Impact 3.13-3: Substantially Increase Hazards Due to a Geometric Design Feature (e.g., Sharp Curves or Dangerous Intersections) or Incompatible Uses (e.g., Farm Equipment) Impact 4-13: Cumulative Transportation Impacts
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A Statement of Overriding Considerations was prepared for the project.
Project Approval & EIR Certification
The City Council approved the project and certified the EIR on April 18, 2024. •City Council Resolution 2024-072 Certifying Final Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2021100443) •City Council Resolution 2024-073 Amending the Fresno General Plan •City Council Ordinance 2024-011 Amending the Official Zoning Map All project approvals were rescinded and the EIR decertified in November 2025. •City Council Resolution 2025-325
•City Council Ordinance 2025-049
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Partially Recirculated Environmental Impact Report
Consistent with City Council Resolution 2025-325:
• Section 3.7, “Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change” - revised to eliminate reference to the City’s 2021 Green House Gas Reduction Plan.
• Threshold 1 - the PR-DEIR evaluates the significance of the project’s GHG emissions based on whether the project would conflict with or impede the ability of the State to meet its GHG reduction goals.
• Threshold 2 - the PR-DEIR evaluates whether the project would conflict with applicable plans related to GHG emissions at the state, regional, and local levels.
For both thresholds, the analysis concludes the projects greenhouse gas impacts will be less than significant.
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Fresno Municipal Code Findings
Consistent with City Council Resolution 2025-325:
The FMC Findings were revised to address consistency
between the City's zoning provisions and the market
delivery operations component of the Project as a
permitted and / or accessory use.
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Staff Recommendations
(1) RESOLUTION - CERTIFYING the 2026 Final Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2021100443), for the proposed Costco Commercial Center Project.
Adopt the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations. Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP). (2) APPROVE Plan Amendment Application No. P21-01960, to amend the Fresno General Plan and Bullard Community Plan to change the planned land use designation from Community Commercial to General Commercial, and reclassify West Herndon Avenue, between North Riverside to North Hayes Avenue, from an Expressway to a Super Arterial.
(3) BILL (for introduction and adoption) to approve Rezone Application No. P21-01960, to amend the Official Zoning Map of the City of Fresno to rezone the subject property from the CC/EA/UGM/cz (Community Commercial/Expressway Overlay/Urban Growth Management/conditions of zoning) zone district to the CG/UGM/cz (Commercial General/Urban Growth Management/conditions of zoning) zone district.
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Staff Recommendations (Continued)
(4) APPROVE Conditional Use Permit Application No. P21-01959, to construct a ±219,216 square-foot Costco warehouse retail building with a ±4,800 square-foot carwash and a ±13,000 square-foot fuel canopy with 32 fuel pumps.
(5) APPROVE Conditional Use Permit Application No. P21-03251, to establish a State of California ABC Type 21 alcohol license that will allow the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption off the premises where sold.
(6) APPROVE Planned Development Permit Application No. P21-03252, to modify parking lot development standards to allow for 36.5-foot-tall parking lot light fixtures rather than 25-foot-tall fixtures. (7) ADOPT the Fresno Municipal Code Findings pertaining to P21-01959, P21-01960, P21-03251, and P21-03252.
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